College Softball: Wolves win once at NSIC crossover

April 20, 2008|By American News Sports Staff

BISMARCK, N.D. - The Northern State softball team picked up its first conference win of the season on Saturday. It came at the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Crossover and it was against Upper Iowa, 5-4. The Wolves lost their other two games at the crossover. The first game of the day NSU lost to Wayne State College 1-0 and lost its third game of the day 6-2 against Southwest Minnesota State. The Wolves snapped a 12-game losing streak with the win over the Peacocks. Christi Schulte was the winning pitcher, fanning 12 batters in the decision. “We battled. When we played Upper Iowa before and it went to 11 innings,” Northern State coach Terri Holmes said. “So it was another battle between us.” Kaylee Johnson went 3-for-5 at the plate with two RBIs and a run scored. The Wolves started their day out strong, holding Wayne State to just five hits. Brianna Milnes pitched a complete game for NSU and held Wayne scoreless through five innings. Heather Olson gave Northern its first hit in the fourth inning, a single that went up the middle of the field. Olson also reached base in the first with a walk. Milnes picked up the team's other hit. “They have a really good infield defense and we hit the ball sharply two or three times and they made a nice play,” Holmes said. Southwest Minnesota State is ranked seventh in the nation. “We played right with them. We had bases loaded and they brought in Amanda Johnson their number one pitcher,” Holmes said, “and if we get a base hit there it is tied because at the time it is 4-2.” Northern State will conclude play in the NSIC Crossover today. Wayne State 000 001 0-1 5 0 Northern State 000 000 0-0 2 1 K. Goetzinger and S. Earleywine; Brianna Milnes and Heather Olson. 2B - Wayne State, Novotny. Upper Iowa 000 130 000-4 9 4 Northern State 001 210 001-5 9 0 C. Loan, N. Davis (5) and M. Ang; Christi Schulte and Heather Olson. 2B - Upper Iowa, Greco; Northern State, Kaylee Johnson. 3B - Upper Iowa, Daubenspeck. HR - Upper Iowa, K. Appelt; Northern State, Jamie Horner. Southwest Minnesota 200 202 0-6 12 1 Northern State 001 010 0-2 7 2 S. Silke, A. Johnson (4) and E. Dickhausen; Brianna Milnes, Sam Francis (4) and Heather Olson, Tara Bruns (4). 2B - Southwest Minnesota State, M. Laetsch, Dickhausen, A. Fennern; Northern State, Lindsey Cegla. HR - Southwest Minnesota State, K. Petersen.